“The aquatic resource industry is an important contributor to the local economy and we wanted to support students interested in contributing to it in a sustainable way,” said Monty Little, former BCAFRS president. The society recently donated more than $110,000 to the NIC Foundation to support students interested in the aquatic sciences.
The society started in 2001 as the BC Aquaculture Research and Development Committee, thanks to support from the Innovation Council of BC. It funded several research and development projects over the years to address issues on the interaction between farmed and wild fish.
In 2010, the BCAFRS was incorporated as a not-for-profit organization focused on innovation by linking people, capacities and organizations to address common challenges of sustainability and wealth generation faced by the aquatic food industry. The society dissolved in 2017 and bequeathed its remaining funds to support students interested in aquatic sciences at NIC.
The first students to benefit will start this February, as part of NIC’s Aquaculture Technician certificate, which provides students with the technical skills to work with a variety of species in BC’s aquaculture industry.
The certificate includes Technician Level 1 training, with an updated curriculum, more occupational health and safety training and the unique ability to ladder into BC’s first advanced production-training program, NIC’s Aquaculture Technician diploma, scheduled to begin in fall 2019.
The $1,000 tuition credit is available to students in the certificate and diploma program.
“This donation gives students the opportunity to receive more than 30 per cent off their tuition,” said Randall Heidt, executive director of the NIC Foundation. “We cannot thank Monty and all of the BCAFRS board members enough for investing in NIC students. Their donation makes it the perfect time to take aquaculture training at NIC.”
For more information on the Aquaculture Technician certificate, or to register, visit www.nic.bc.ca.
To learn more about the NIC Foundation and how you can make a difference in the lives of students, visit https://foundation.nic.bc.ca/ or call 250-334-5085.
For more information
Randall Heidt
Executive Director, NIC Foundation
250-334-5249
randall.heidt@nic.bc.ca
